• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Tourists issue warning after being jailed and deported from US for missing one key detail when travelling

Home> News

Published 11:31 21 Apr 2025 GMT+1

Tourists issue warning after being jailed and deported from US for missing one key detail when travelling

The two women said they had to endure a humiliating experience

Gerrard Kaonga

Gerrard Kaonga

A woman has taken to Reddit to explain her ‘humiliating and scary’ story that saw her and a friend deported from the US.

Donald Trump insisted he would take a very firm and strong stance on illegal immigration, and since returning to the White House, he seems to be standing by this.

However, tourists have spoken of horror stories they have now experienced from trying to enter the US lately.

A 19-year-old took to social media to explain how she and an 18-year-old friend were deported from the US as they attempted to backpack around the world.

Advert

The two women were from Germany and were left utterly stunned with how they were treated for simply having rather loose travel plans.

The two travelers, identified as Charlotte Pohl and Maria Lepere arrived in Honolulu to begin their trip and planned to explore before travelling to California and Costa Rica according to German news outlet Ostee-Zeitung.

The two girls who stunned with how they were treated by border protection (Getty Stock Image)
The two girls who stunned with how they were treated by border protection (Getty Stock Image)

Wanting to keep things flexible, they hadn’t booked any accommodation for their five weeks stay in Hawaii and it was this lack of planning that raised the eyebrows of Customs and Border Protection.

Advert

Issuing a warning to other travelers in a now deleted Reddit post, Charlotte explained what happened.

She said: “We had booked only the first 2 nights in an Airbnb, just to be flexible with our plans, like we did in New Zealand and like many backpackcers do.

“We had the onward ticket to the next destination in Asia but didn’t book domestic flights in the U.S. for the same reason.”

The traveler also noted that one comment she made may have been the mistake that resulted in them being deported.

Advert


She continued: “They were asking us why we didn’t book more nights or domestic flights, what our plans were, how we can afford to travel and especially about work.

“We do sometimes small freelance jobs online (like translating or design stuff, for customers back in Germany and sometimes also Asia, not the US.

Advert

“We mentioned that, which was maybe the biggest mistake, it was also in the e-mail that they accessed.”

According to the US embassy and Consulates: “If you wish to work in the United States for a temporary period you will require a nonimmigrant work visa. You cannot work on a visitor or business visa, or under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).”

The two travellers warned other backpackers about traveling to the US with a flexible plans (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The two travellers warned other backpackers about traveling to the US with a flexible plans (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The two girls reportedly had an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), which allows them to visit the US for a period of 90 days or less without the need for a visa, as long as its for a holiday or a business trip.

Advert

As a result, the pair were accused of potential illegal work intentions, handcuffed and sent to a deportation center.

After staying in less than ideal conditions, the pair were deported the following morning.

The experience was said to be humiliating and scary and came as a shock as the pair considered themselves to be tourists.

The pair are said to be ‘totally shaken’ from the ordeal and warned that other backpackers need to be careful if they intend to enter the US.

Featured Image Credit: Reddit

Topics: News, Travel, US News, Reddit, Politics, Donald Trump

Gerrard Kaonga
Gerrard Kaonga

Gerrard is a Journalist at UNILAD and has dived headfirst into covering everything from breaking global stories to trending entertainment news. He has a bachelors in English Literature from Brunel University and has written across a number of different national and international publications. Most notably the Financial Times, Daily Express, Evening Standard and Newsweek.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

11 hours ago
12 hours ago
  • ReachReach
    11 hours ago

    Doctor allegedly left patient unconscious mid-surgery to have sex with a nurse

    The patient was under anaesthetic at the time

    News
  • The Drew Barrymore ShowThe Drew Barrymore Show
    12 hours ago

    Jennifer Aniston claims she and this A-list celebrity were previously related in a 'past life'

    The Friends actress told Drew Barrymore there was a co-star who claimed to be very close to her

    Celebrity
  • mrserikakirk/Instagrammrserikakirk/Instagram
    12 hours ago

    Eye-watering amount Charlie Kirk’s fans' have raised for his widow and children in less than two days

    Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on September 10

    News
  • S. Granitz/WireImage via Getty ImagesS. Granitz/WireImage via Getty Images
    12 hours ago

    Man involved in leaking Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee's sex tape breaks silence nearly 3 decades later

    The infamous home video depicted the 'Baywatch' star getting frisky with her then-husband, the legendary Mötley Crüe drummer

    Celebrity
  • Trump warned Pentagon name change makes US a 'laughing stock' as he's set to sign new executive order
  • European countries issue new travel warning for people traveling to the US
  • Trump says he ‘couldn’t care less’ about repairing US political divide in candid admission
  • Donald Trump gives bizarre and 'illegal' response when asked about US citizens potentially being sent to 'world's worst prison'